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3D-Printing.net brings together the latest news, features and ideas from the world of additive manufacturing (better known as 3D printing). Plus, we look at just how people are using this fast-evolving technology. 3D-Printing - Making parts and products using a computer-driven, additive process, one layer at a time.

cake

When a bakery found an important part of its cake-icing equipment had been discontinued, it could have caused a major problem. But Freed's Bakery, based in New Hampshire, got in touch with 3-Dimensional Services and got a replacement part 3D printed, instead.

The bakery uses an industrial icing machine, which has a two-colour part that dispenses just the right amount of two different colours of icing onto each of their cupcakes. But the part was beginning to show its age, and the supplier had stopped making them, so 3D printing was the next obvious answer.

First, 3-Dimensional Services had to create a CAD file for the part, since it's not something that many people on Thingiverse tend to make models of. But during the design process, the bakery realised something. Using 3D modelling and printing techniques, they could actually improve their machinery tool, rather than just repairing it. The 3D printing company set to work, changing bits and pieces of the icing machinery - making it lighter, more flexible, and fixing the occasional leakage problem.

Thanks to the quick turnaround of the 3D printed equipment, there was no interruption in the supply of cupcakes with two-toned icing, which means we can all sleep soundly tonight.

3D printers and food are an irresistible combination, it seems: we've seen 3D printed cheese, chocolate, and burritos already, and now apparently it's time for 3D printed cake.

Well, sort of. The guys over at CNC Design have adapted a 3D printer to put icing on top of a cake. Getting the consistency of the icing right seems to have taken them a few goes, but eventually they managed to figure out a type of frosting and a method for pushing it out onto the cake that created nice-looking results at high speed.